Ginger Free Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings
Crispy, golden, and bursting with bright citrus flavor, these air fryer wings are the kind of crowd-pleaser that disappears fast. The secret to that shatteringly crisp skin is baking powder — it draws out moisture and helps the exterior turn deep golden without a drop of oil. A simple homemade lemon pepper sauce made with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and coarsely ground black pepper coats every piece in bold, tangy flavor that store-bought seasoning blends just can't match. Many commercial lemon pepper products sneak in ginger or other spices, so making the sauce from scratch means you know exactly what's going in. The air fryer does the heavy lifting here, circulating hot air around the wings for that fried-food texture without the mess of a deep fryer. Finished with a scatter of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon, these wings look and taste like something you'd order at a great sports bar — only better, because you made them yourself.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 lbs chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes, tips removed
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
For the lemon pepper sauce
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken wings thoroughly dry with paper towels. In a large mixing bowl, toss the wings with the baking powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and garlic powder until evenly coated.
- 2
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C) for 3 minutes. Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each piece — work in two batches if needed to avoid crowding.
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